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Episode:The Sting of the Scorpion
| image = | date = March 11, 1995 | ep_num = 6 | writer = John Semper, Jr. Marty Isenbereg Robert N. Skir | director = | guest = Martin Landau (Scorpion/Mac Gargan) | prev = The Menace of Mysterio (Spider-Man) | next = Kraven the Hunter (Spider-Man) }} :For the similarly named episode see . J. Jonah Jameson makes a hero to stop the wallcrawling menace. But what happens when his public defender turns against him? Story Peter Parker and Felicia Hardy walk and Peter asks Felicia on a date. However, she turns him down. Just then, Peter's spider-sense goes off alerting him to danger. Peter turns around and sees a man run away and he chases after him. Peter quickly changes into his Spider-Man costume and follows him. However, the building that Spider-Man is on explodes and he begins to fall. Spider-Man shoots a web line onto a flag pole which stops him from falling. Four thugs run out of the burning building. When Spider-Man confronts them, one of the thugs uses a rocket launcher to shoot at Spider-Man. However, Spider-Man just swings back and forth on his web line and the rocket misses him. Spider-Man traps the thugs in his web and leaves them for the police. Spider-Man also grabs his camera which he webbed to a building and set to take pictures of him. The next day, Peter goes to The Daily Bugle and gives his pictures of Spider-Man to Joseph Robertson. Robbie then asks Peter how he gets such good photos of Spider-Man. At that moment J. Jonah Jameson walks in and says that is also curious how Peter gets those pictures. However, Peter chucks it up to just having very good luck. As Jameson goes into his office he sees the man that was following him last night go into Jameson's office as well. It is then revealed that the man is named Mac Gargan. He is a private investigator hired by Jameson to spy on Peter so he can learn how Peter gets such good pictures of Spider-Man. At that moment, Spider-Man enters the office through Jameson's window and traps Gargan in his webbing. Spider-Man then tells Jameson to get off his case. This causes Jameson to remember when he was a rookie reporter. Jameson was threatened by some criminals to stop investigating them. Jameson refused and because of this his wife was killed by the gangsters. Spider-Man leaves the office. Jameson claims that what happened to him will never happen again. Jameson then walks up to Gargan and he says that people are always trying to make him look like a fool. Jameson replies that he is a fool but also offers him a chance to get revenge on Spider-Man. Gargan accepts and Jameson makes a call to Empire State University asking to speak to Professor Farley Stillwell. Some time later, Jameson and Gargan meet with Stillwell at the ESU laboratory. Stillwell shows them a battle suit he created. As Gargan gets into the battle suit, Stillwell places a scorpion inside the Neogenic Recombinator. The recombinator fires a radioactive beam at Gargan. It then changes Gargan's DNA to match that of a scorpion. Stillwell reveals that he chose a scorpion because spiders are the natural prey of the scorpion. As Jameson looks at Gargan, he tells Stillwell that "Spider-Man has at last met his match." The next day, some J3 Communications helicopters fly around New York City until they find Spider-Man. Jameson then uses a walkie-talkie to communicate with Gargan and tells him that they spotted Spider-Man. Only seconds later, Spider-Man's spider-sense goes off and Spider-Man is attacked by Gargan. As Spider-Man clings to a wall Scorpion sprays acid from his tail. However, Spider-Man is able to jump away before the acid can hit him. Spider-Man looks around and Scorpion has vanished. Spider-Man looks above his head and sees the Scorpion crawling on the wall. As the Scorpion throws a punch, Spider-Man jumps out of the way and begins to web swing away. However, Scorpion leaps from the wall and when he is over Spider-Man's head he breaks the web line. Spider-Man begins to fall. Fortunately, he is able to grab hold of a flag pole and stop himself from falling. Spider-Man climbs to the side of the building and starts to fight Scorpion. Jameson flies overhead and shouts at Scorpion to finish Spider-Man. Scorpion shouts back saying to leave him alone to fight Spider-man. Spider-Man begins to wonder who Scorpion is taking to and asks. However, Scorpion refuses to tell him. Scorpion slams his tail down trying to hit Spider-Man. Spider-Man jumps out of the way and his tail hits the roof of the building causing it to break apart causing debris to fall. Although, Spider-Man is able to catch the debris with his web before it could hit the people below. Scorpion charges at Spider-Man and knocks him onto the next building over. From the helicopter, Jameson watches Scorpion and Spider-Man fight and cheers Scorpion on. Spider-Man covers Scorpion in his webbing. Scorpion uses the spike on his tail to break free. Scorpion charges at Spider-Man. As Spider-Man jumps out of the way, Scorpion grabs his leg with his tail and slams him onto the ground. Scorpion lifts Spider-Man above his head and throws him into a water tower. Scorpion once again attempts to spray Spider-Man with acid. However, Spider-Man jumps out of the way and the acid hits the legs holding the water tower up. The water tower falls on top of Spider-Man. As Scorpion begins to gloat, Jameson tells him to unmask Spider-Man. However, Scorpion begins to transform even more and gains green skin, sharp claws, yellow eyes, and sharp pointed teeth. Angry at Jameson, Scorpion uses his tail to hit the helicopter. The pilot of the helicopter then flies off to get away from Scorpion. When Jameson returns to the Bugle, he goes into his office and sees Robbie watching a news report about Scorpion rampaging through the city. Jameson says that what is happening is his fault. Jameson goes on to tell Robbie about his wife being killed by a masked man and that from that day. He swore to protect the city from anyone that hides behind a mask and thinks they can be above the law. Robbie turns to Jameson and tells him that that is exactly what Scorpion is doing. Spider-Man sets out to find Scorpion. A short while later, Jameson goes to ESU and tells Stillwell to do something to stop him. Stillwell tells Jameson that the affects of Neogenics is making Scorpion mentally unstable. He says that he should have listened to Curt Connors's warnings about the dangers of Neogenic testing on human beings. At that moment, Scorpion breaks through the wall and into the laboratory. He tells Stillwell to cure him. Stillwell tells Scorpion that the process is irreversible. Scorpion throws him across the room. Scorpion then goes after Jameson because he believed that he is the way he is because of Jameson. Scorpion grabs Jameson with his tail and runs off. At that moment, Spider-Man makes a phone call to Aunt May. He tells her that he won't be home for lunch. May then tells Peter that she has invited Mary Jane Watson to their house for lunch. However, Peter tells May that the traffic is horrible. At that moment Spider-Man spots the Scorpion and hangs up the phone to chase after him. Scorpion then goes to OsCorp Industries and tells Jameson that he plans to use OsCorp's nuclear reactor to turn him back to normal. However, Jameson tells him that he's insane and that if he breaches the nuclear reactor he will destroy the city. However, Scorpion says that it's not his problem and sprays acid from his tail. It melts a hole in the roof of OsCorp. Spider-Man arrives and knocks the Scorpion through the hole and grabs Jameson before he can fall through the hole. Spider-Man uses a webline to lower himself and Jameson into OsCorp. As Spider-Man looks around, he sees the nuclear reactor and is attacked by Scorpion. However, when Spider-Man dodges one of Scorpions punches, Scorpion accidentally hit a switch on a computer and starts a nuclear meltdown. Spider-Man looks on a console and sees a big red button and guesses that that is how he will stop it. At that moment, Scorpion begins to pound at a big metal door in an attempt to get to the nuclear core. Spider-Man grabs his tail but Scorpion flings him across the room. However, Spider-Man is able to cling to the wall. Jameson runs over to the computer console and raises his hand to hit the button. However, Scorpion grabs Jameson's hand with his tail. Jameson attempts to convince Scorpion to let him go to save the city, However, Scorpion is only concerned with getting to the reactor and throws Jameson across the room. Jameson is caught by Spider-Man. Spider-Man attacks Scorpion. However, Scorpion grabs Spider-Man and he wraps his arms around him and begins to squeeze him tighter and tighter suffocating him. Spider-Man passes out. However, Jameson tackles Scorpion and Scorpion drops Spider-Man. Knowing that Jameson hates Spider-Man, he asks Jameson why he saved the wallcrawler. Jameson answers that even though he doesn't like Spider-Man, Scorpion is an even greater evil and Spider-Man is the only one who can stop him. This shocks Spider-Man because he never thought he would ever hear Jameson defending him. Scorpion goes over to Spider-Man to kill him. Jameson calls Scorpion names, which distracts him long enough for Spider-Man to run over to the controls. However, Scorpion is able to run over and push him out of the way. Spider-Man gets an idea on how to defeat Scorpion. Spider-Man begins to call Scorpion names. When scorpion gets really angry, he tries to hit Spider-Man with his tail. However, Spider-Man reaches inside the computer that was damaged by Scorpion's acid and pulls out some wires. As soon as Scorpion's tail touches, the electricity from the wires passes through Scorpions tail and goes through his entire body electrocuting him. This distracts Scorpion long enough for Jameson to run over to the computer and push the red button and stop the nuclear meltdown. Scorpion accidentally hit the ceiling with his tail causing it to collapse. Before the debris could hit Jameson, Spider-Man caught the falling debris in a net made from his webbing. Scorpion then falls to to ground and Spider-Man webs him up. Spider-Man walks over to Jameson and goes to shake his hand. Spider-Man also thanks him for helping him and says that things will be different between them. However, Jameson tells Spider-Man that what just happened doesn't change anything between them. Spider-Man leaves OsCorp. As Spider-Man swings through New York, he compares Jameson saving his life to Moriarty saving Sherlock Holmes and then says that life is full of surprises. Later that night as Peter leaves ESU, Felicia drives up to him and she tells Peter that she finds him unpredictable and that they can have lunch together sometime. As Felicia drives away Peter begins to think that Felicia is starting to like him and thinks to himself that life is definitely full of surprises. Quotes "Your the only man I know who can remember anything about protons, neutrons, alpha rays, and gamma rays." "I guess I simply glow on the subject of radiation. I don't know why, it must be in my blood." :-'Felicia Hardy' and Peter Parker "Who is that little creep? Some mugger after my money? Hey, if I could find any on me I'd split it with him." :-'Spider-Man' "Web fluid I love you." :-'Spider-Man' "If those explosions were accidental then I'm the Human Torch." :-'Spider-Man' "It's not nice to rob jewelry stores in Mr. Spider-Man's neighborhood." :-'Spider-Man' "Is this a private party or can any wallcrawler join?" :-'Spider-Man' "Me get back at Spider-Man? I'd kill for the chance." :-'Mac Gargan' "Spider-Man will at last meet his match." :-'J. Jonah Jameson' "Who the heck are you!" "I'm a real hero, you freak." "This is a joke right?" "This is not a joke. If you want to join the Fantastic Four you're in the wrong place." :-'Spider-Man' and Scorpion "Highly corrosive acid! Why do I get the feeling that he's not into male bonding." :-'Spider-Man' "Did you expect your crummy webs to stop me?" "The thought had crossed my mind." :-'Scorpion' and Spider-Man "How about that. I beat Spider-Man, taken out by the one, the only Scorpion." :-'Scorpion' "Robbie, I helped create that thing." "What? Why would you do such a thing?" "I did it for Julia, my wife. Years ago a crime boss warned me to back off a story but I refused. And one night a man came after me. A man in a mask. He aimed at me but he hit her. Now I've sworn to keep this city safe from people who hide behind masks and think that their above the law." "That's exactly what your creation is doing. You've got to stop him." "You're right Robbie. I've made a terrible mistake." :-'J. Jonah Jameson' and Joseph Robertson "Stillwell, fix me! Make me like I was!" :-'Scorpion' "A nuclear reactor. Why don't villains ever pick bakeries to invade?" :-'Spider-Man' "How do you know about stuff like this?" "Hey. Who do I look like, the Tick?" :-'J. Jonah Jameson' and Spider-Man "Look, if we continue to meet like this, tongues will begin to wag." :-'Spider-Man' "Ow! What are you made of, adamantium?" :-'Spider-Man' "You don't like names, huh. That's too bad frogface. Cause to me your nothing but a two bit, no account, second rate, sewer breath, baboon with the brain of a pigeon and the face of an eel." :-'Spider-Man' "I knew I should have never left Brooklyn." :-'Scorpion' "Thanks J.J., for backing me up. I guess things will be different between us, huh." "No way. This doesn't change a thing between us. I still won't rest until you've been unmasked, and eliminated." "Fair enough, pickle puss. And I wont rest till you've shaved that stupid mustache. So were even. Oh, and buzz head, thanks for saving my life." :-'Spider-Man' and J. Jonah Jameson "Jameson saving me is like Moriarty saving Sherlock Holmes. Life sure is full of surprises." :-'Spider-Man' Trivia *In the comics, J. Jonah Jameson's wife was named Joan. She is renamed Julia for the series, though it could be a nickname he had for her. *Spider-Man says that he is not the Tick. ''The Tick'' was an animated series that also aired on Fox Kids starting in 1994. *Edward Asner (Jameson) and Martin Landau (Scorpion) both appeared in an episode of ''Mission: Impossible''. Landau appeared in another episode with Michael Rye (Stillwell). *In this episode Scorpion is bigger and taller than in all subsequent episodes. Goofs *This episode establishes that Jameson distrusts people who hide their face, even though he trusted Mysterio in . *When Spider-Man notices nuclear reactor, there are four people in the background who stand around doing nothing. *There is no logical reason for Scorpion to prevent Spider-Man and Jameson from stopping the nuclear meltdown that would also kill him. However, this might have been a part of his growing insanity. *Spider-Man could have tried to avert the meltdown when Scorpion was banging on the metal door. *In later episodes, Scorpion loses his larger size, green skin, yellow eyes, sharp claws, and pointed teeth for no particular reason. Continuity *Spider-Man mentions Human Torch and the Fantastic Four on separate occasions. They were on their own series . He previously mentioned the team in . *First mention of adamantium on the series. It is a major part of , specifically Wolverine, though appears in other Marvel properties. He would encounter Wolverine's adamantium claws in . *Peter asks Felicia on a date but she turns him down. She goes out with him in . *Aunt May is trying to set Peter up with Mary Jane and they meet in . This is confusing when viewed in airing order since they already met. *Stillwell's next and last appearance is in , where he is repentant for his actions here. Background The episode is based on [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Amazing_Spider-Man_Vol_1_20 The Amazing Spider-Man #20], Scorpion's first appearance. It was previously adapted as the episode . This is Martin Landau's first appearance as Scorpion on the series. After winning an Academy Award for his role as Bela Lugosi in ''Ed Wood'' he became unavailable after season two and was replaced by Richard Moll. Despite being chronologically the second episode of , it originally aired March 11, 1995 after . Reaction "Amazing Spidey" of Marvel Animation Age noted that translating a comic to cartoon was about finding a balance between things that should be changed and those that need to stay the same. He felt Scorpion was one of those things that needs to stay the same, especially the origin with the Jameson angle. He also praised Jameson's reasoning for hating Spider-Man was great and handled better than in the comics. He claimed the show nailed Jameson, giving audiences everything they expected him to be and more. He lauded the animation of the show's first season. He also liked the little bits of continuity like using the Neogenic Recombinator to make Scorpion and the finale at OsCorp. He did claim that Landau was one of the weaker voice actors on the series and Richard Moll would be far better at the character. "Overall, this was an outstanding episode which shined in all areas possible. Hell, it even had two (count em two!) references to the Fantastic Four which always helps. Another episode to add to the strong run in the premiere season." External Links *Marvel Animation Age *TV.com *Internet Movie Database *Wikipedia *Marvel Database Category:Spider-Man Episodes